[Info-vax] Best "Standalone" boot versions for Alpha and Itanium

[David Froble]

Stephen Hoffman wrote:
> On 2016-01-12 21:37:43 +0000, Rich Jordan said:
> 
>> No HBVS.  The drives are mirrored by a SmartArray 6400A or the 
>> embedded SAS controller, and there are no spare slots...
>> The movers have recommended we pull at least one drive out of each 
>> mirror set for separate transport (and since the ones in the shelves 
>> will travel 'on edge' in their cages in a short rack, the ones taken 
>> out will travel flat; the movers claim that vertical transport is an 
>> issue but I couldn't find anything authoritative).
> 
> Any jolt that's strong enough to unpark the drive heads in any 
> orientation is probably going to bend some sheet metal.
> 
> If the servers are packed correctly, the disks will be fine.
> 
> But then I'd consider pulling and labeling and boxing and moving the 
> disks myself, maybe with an intermediate stop-off somewhere that can run 
> a decent backup.
> 
> Whatever you can do to avoid needing or using that DVD is preferred — 
> those things are utterly glacial.
> 
> Semi-related: 
> http://images.fedex.com/us/packaging/guides/Computer_fxcom.pdf
> 
> 

And so is the tape.

I believe Steve has mentioned used disks before, at very attractive prices. 
Purchase a few, test them, and perhaps have one to boot from to do the disk 
copies and such.

I'll admit, it's been a while since I've done this kind of stuff.  Not 
knowledgeable at all on the itanic.

I believe Steve recently mentioned some available used itanics.  Maybe get one 
to aid in whatever you're doing.